Coffee Briefing Aug 29. – Thinkific launches automated sales tax solution for creators; BTQ unveils ‘The Quantum State’ podcast; TMU and Xanadu collaborate on quantum computing research; and more

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Thinkific launches automated sales tax solution for creators

Vancouver-based creator, seller and marketer of online learning products for businesses, Thinkific has announced the launch of  an automated sales tax solution for creators, powered by financial infrastructure platform Stripe.

The new solution is designed to streamline the sales tax process for creators using Thinkific Payments.

“Our Sales Tax Solution has been designed to take the complexity and confusion associated with taxes completely off our Creators’ plates,” said Greg Smith, chief executive officer (CEO) of Thinkific. “Navigating sales tax remittance across multiple jurisdictions can be very complicated and time-consuming, which is why we’ve partnered with Stripe to offer an automated solution that seamlessly handles all aspects of tax compliance. Through automating this process, our Creators can concentrate on what matters most: delivering exceptional content and growing remarkable businesses.”

The new automated tax solution handles, among others thinks, tax calculations, collections, and remittances for all sales from customers located in the United States and Canada, hence facilitating tax compliance across the two countries.

Further, it allows creators to earn more on each sale they make, automatically calculating and adding applicable taxes on top of their set product price, so they no longer absorb varying tax costs across jurisdictions.

The automated tax solution is now live for all Thinkific Payments customers and applies to sales in the U.S. and Canada.

BTQ Technologies unveils ‘The Quantum State’ podcast

BTQ Logo (CNW Group/BTQ Technologies Corp.)

BTQ Technologies Corp., a global leader in quantum technology, has announced the launch of its new podcast, “The Quantum State.” This podcast, set to release bi-weekly, will feature hosts, industry experts, and weekly guests.

Leading the podcast is primary host Anastasia Marchenkova, a distinguished researcher in quantum telecommunications and optics lab at Georgia Tech and the University of Maryland Joint Quantum Institute. The panel also includes Professor Gavin Brennen from Macquarie University and author Peter Rohde, known for “The Quantum Internet,” who is also an honorary senior lecturer at Macquarie University.

While “The Quantum State” will cover the latest insights, trends, and advancements in quantum computing, it will also regularly showcase BTQ’s own research and quantum product innovations.

“Quantum computing is not just a trend; it’s the next frontier in technological innovation. With ‘The Quantum State’, we hope to provide a space for enthusiasts, experts, and the general public to understand and appreciate the revolutionary potential of quantum technology,” said Marchenkova.

The Quantum State will be available on BTQ’s website and major podcast platforms.

TMU and Xanadu collaborate on quantum computing research and training

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) and quantum computing company, Xanadu, are collaborating to increase capacity for quantum training, education and research. 

This collaboration includes developing a co-curricular program for quantum computing and a quantum software-focused educational program. The partnership will also give TMU  students access to PennyLane, Xanadu’s open-source access framework.

“This partnership offers TMU students and researchers a remarkable opportunity that will shape the future leaders in the advancement of quantum computing,” said Steven N. Liss, TMU’s vice-president, research and innovation. “Having access to Xanadu’s expert knowledge and state-of-the-art technology will allow TMU talent to develop and test real-world applications of quantum computing, keeping Canada at the forefront of this emerging technology.”

TMU has worked on a variety of quantum-specific research, ranging from quantum-resistant cryptography to how quantum tools can be used in health care. This collaboration aims to provide “access to hands-on experience and the preeminent quantum education that will deepen the nation’s talent pool and ultimately contribute to advancing quantum computing research in Canada.”

Google’s women founders class of 2023 welcomes three Canadian companies

The Google for Startups Accelerator has welcomed three women-led Canadian companies into their 2023 program: BorderlessHR, Monark, and NLPatent. These companies, alongside eight other United States-based startups, are set to commence their virtual 10-week program this September.

From Ottawa, Ont., BorderlessHR offers an end-to-end talent matching solution tailored for small and medium businesses (SMBs), aiming to streamline talent recruitment and reduce associated time and costs. The company also provides complimentary HR tools as part of their service.

Based in Calgary, Alta., Monark focuses on digital leadership with an on-demand and personalized learning platform. Its micro-content allows users to develop leadership skills seamlessly without sacrificing hours to course work.

NLPatent, located in Toronto, Ont., is an AI-powered patent search and analysis platform. Users can describe their ideas or inventions, and the platform’s sophisticated language models assist in refining concepts while ensuring legal compliance.

This is Google’s fourth year for the accelerator program. According to its blog, this program “has supported 36 women-led startups across North America, who have collectively raised US$73.46M since graduating from their cohorts.”

GenAI announces acquisition of SpeakGPT

GENAI Logo (CNW Group/GENERATIVE AI SOLUTIONS CORP.)

Vancouver-based Generative AI Solutions Corp. (GenAI) has acquired intellectual property assets from Metachain Technologies Inc. with the aim of developing an AI-powered mobile virtual assistant to be known as “SpeakGPT.”

Among other things, the app is expected to enable users to export materials in various formats (PDF files, images, text files) through voice commands, and will have multilingual voice support and voice options to cater to a global user base.

The app’s prototype is already up and running on both iOS and Android devices, showcasing features like animated interactions and the ability to turn text into speech.

More to explore

Governments of Canada and Ontario invest $219 million in high speed internet access for Eastern Ontario

Today, the governments of Canada and Ontario announced a combined investment of C$219 million to bring high-speed internet access to more than 66,000 households in over 300 Ontario communities, including more than 600 Indigenous households.

Rogers stronger than other providers in 5G experience: Opensignal report

Rogers came out on top in six out of eight categories in Opensignal’s latest 5G experience report, outstripping Bell and Telus.

Privacy czars urge websites to block data scraping

Privacy and information commissioners from 12 jurisdictions including Canada, the U.K., China, and Australia have urged social media companies to do more to prevent threat actors from scraping personal data from their IT systems.

OpenText and Google Cloud collaborate on new AI offerings

OpenText has announced an expanded partnership with Google Cloud, just weeks after it unveiled opentext.ai, its vision and strategy for artificial intelligence.

Business email compromise scams getting more sophisticated: Report

Messaging scams that try to trick employees into performing risky transactions continue to dog organizations.

Cyber Centre again warns Canadian firms not to ignore cybercrime

Canada’s leading cybersecurity agency has again warned IT managers, corporate leaders and residents of the risks of not being prepared for cybercrime.

Rising Star and Mentor of the Year: the IT channel celebrates women who have made an impact

On August 24, Channel Daily News celebrated its annual Women in the IT Channel recognition luncheon, with the theme Making an Impact. This event celebrates the achievements of women working in the IT channel.

Listen to the latest episode of Hashtag Trending

Hashtag Trending Aug.29- Google to teach LLMs to be better at math; Bing AI adds support for Chrome; Tesla faces two lawsuits over fatalities

Listen to the latest episode of Cybersecurity Today

Cyber Security Today, August 28, 2023 — SIM card swap led to a Kroll data breach, supplier hack led to a London police data theft, and more

Listen to the latest episode of Hashtag Tendances

If you live in Québec, or prefer to consume the latest technology news in French, our sister publication Direction Informatique has you covered. Follow them on Twitter as well.

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Jim Love, Chief Content Officer, IT World Canada

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Breanna Schnurr
Breanna Schnurrhttps://breannaschnurr.wixsite.com/breanna-schnurr
Breanna Schnurr is a recent journalism graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University. She loves writing about all things data, travel, tech, lifestyle and subculture. You can reach out to Breanna via [email protected].

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